January-February

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Winner: COMP Performance Group, COMP Cams Phaser Adjust- .... motor mounts can be purchased separately to accept 5.0L Windsor V8's, 4.6L Modular. V8's ...
2011 SEMA Warehouse of The Year Award Winner January/February 2012 • vol. 22.1

PERFORMANCE REPORT ).&/2-!4)/.6)%70/).43 The Last Of The True Hot Rodders

Land speed racers, perhaps the most daring of all motor sports participants, are occasionally referred to as the last of the true hot rodders. Compared to the well-documented feats of stock car racings “young guns” and drag racings multi-car family teams, the accomplishments of the dedicated land speed racers go pretty much unheralded. They run largely without sponsorship, competing at racing venues far removed from the heartland and making their high speed runs strictly for personal glory and satisfaction (and no prize money). Land speeders constitute a special breed of racer, and though they race only for glory, their cars are top notch mechanically, and fanatically safe. It would be a safe bet that those of us deposited here in the Midwest have little or no contact with racers who compete at land speed type events. Until recently, real estate in the continental U.S. suitable for high speed racing was primarily limited to California’s Muroc, Rogers and Rosemond dry lakes, the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah and abandoned air bases near the East Coast in Maxton, North Carolina and Limestone, Maine. The home bases of competitors run heavily to areas within a day or two drive of a given track. As distance increases beyond a day or two drive, the land speed racer count thins considerably. In this part of the world, we are reluctant to tow a car anywhere from 1,500 to 3,000 miles to a land speed race where we might break on the first pass or, worse yet, flunk a tech inspection due to some glitch that cannot be easily remedied. For this, and other practical reasons, land speed • Information and Viewpoints • The Last Of The True Hot Rodders........1, 2 • Industry News • SEMA Show Award Winners .....................2

by John McLellan

runs have been largely a “coastal” affair. At least, until recent developments took place, anyway. Land speed racing is about to come to the Midwest! For several years, the East Coast Timing Association has conducted land speed runs at an event called the Maxton Mile. The track was roughly a mile and a half long with a timed mile and a half mile shutdown area. With the close of the 2011 Maxton season in October, the Maxton Mile saw its last speed run. The company who leased the facility to the ECTA called a halt to the whole program. ECTA owners began looking at other potential locations to continue the event for years to come. They discovered a recently closed down runway at the Wilmington Air Park in Wilmington, Ohio. The 9,500 foot landing strip had been recently vacated by DHL, a parcel delivery service. After some negotiation with local officials, the ECTA was granted permission to use the strip for four speed run events in 2012. The Maxton Mile annually hosted the Hot Rod Magazine Street Challenge. This event will now move to the Wilmington Mile. For all of us in the business of selling horsepower, this is welcome news!. Suddenly, we have land speed events that will be conducted right in our midst. The potential for increased speed equipment sales by those of us situated here in the Midwest goes without saying. Certainly we must all have drag race customers, and even some circle track customers, who have always been curious about what their race car could run strictly on a top end charge. Now they can find out!

• Allstar • INSIDE INFORMATION

New Allstar Products .................................. 3 • New Product Showcase • Husky Liners, Dynomax, AFCO, Dynatech, Royal Purple, SSBC, Calico, Pro Gram, Dart, Quick Fuel, MSD, QuickCar ...................4,5,6

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• Charlie Jobber • Seein Ain't Necessarily Believin' ............7,8

The Motor State Performance Report is compiled and published bi-monthly by the Motor State Distributing Advertising Department Staff: John McLellan • John Berglund • Matt Hauch • Jim Kaekel, Jr. • Michael Kalling • Robin Beachy • Chad Harris

INFORMATION & VIEWPOINTS The Last Of TheTrue Hot Rodders

As far as classifications of race cars are concerned, land speed racing is reminiscent of the early days of drag racing. Bring a car, and they’ll find a class for it. The event welcomes everything from four-cylinder Crosleys to blown 600-inch pro stock style engines stuffed in roadsters, sedans and streamliners. Motorcycles also compete. Top speeds can range from 80 miles an hour to well over 300. With some slight modifications, primarily rear end gear changes and different tires, the typical nine second drag car has a good shot at going 200 miles an hour in a timed mile. Cars must pass stringent tech inspections which are even tougher than those for drag and circle track cars, but the changeovers are not drastic. Cars can quite easily be switched from drag to land speed and back. No

(cont. from page 1) drag race tech is going to outlaw a car because it now has more safety equipment than required by the particular sanctioning body. The best news is that within these required changes are plenty of opportunities for selling more substantial racing seats, fire equipment, gears, wheels, tires, HANS devices (required for over 200) and several more items. It goes without saying that, during these tight economic times, having a new style of racing practically moving into our backyards is like a breath of fresh air. All you need to do is make it known among your customers that land speed racing is coming to the Midwest and lay out the parts they will need to make their car a legitimate 200 mile an hour contender. We say, go for it!

Industry News The SEMA Show, the largest automotive specialty trade show in the world, has it all. From cars to stars, the show brings thousands of manufacturers, and hundreds of thousands performance enthusiasts from all over the globe to Las Vegas, Nevada every November. With nearly 2,000 companies exhibiting throughout the million square foot convention center, one can find the hottest new products, all waiting for feedback from buyers, media, and show attendees. You can feel the excitement and passion. All new products on display will get judged based on engineering, appearance, operational properties, packaging, and promotional attributes. Every manufacturer hopes that their new innovation will win a “Best New Product” award. Shortly after the product awards are announced during the Thursday night SEMA Awards Banquet, word reaches the buying public and you can expect customers to come calling, looking for the winning products that interest them most. At Motor State, we always endeavor to get these new products on the way to our inventory as soon as possible because we know how important it is to have a new item in stock when the calls come in. Upon their return, our purchasing department and product managers review the new products, decide which ones should be acquired and then get them on order. Interested in what new products we have added? Be sure to check out our web site, mobile site, bi-monthly Sale Flyers and the Performance Report for their New Product and New Vendor sections. We often attach attractive introductory sale prices for our customers. Our flyers and newsletters can also be accessed on our website, www.motorstate.com. How did some of our vendors make out at this year’s SEMA Show? Read on!

The 2011 New Product Award Winners include: Best Engineered New Product Winner: LOKAR Performance Products, Drive-by-Wire Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) Runner Up: QA1 Motorsports, Wireless Remote Adjust System Best New Exterior Accessory Product Winner: Pro Comp/Smittybilt, M1 Truck Bumper Best New Interior Accessory Product Runner Up: B&M Racing and Performance Products, Hurst Hard Drive Stick Runner Up: Spectre Performance, ProFab Door Panels Best New Merchandising Display Winner: ARP Ultra Torque Counter Display, ARP Inc. Runner Up: Husky Mud Guard P.O.P., Husky Liners Best New Performance-Racing Product Winner: COMP Performance Group, COMP Cams Phaser Adjustable Locks for the 2011 5.0L Mustang Runner Up: Holley Performance Products, Holley LS3/L92 HiRam Modular Intake System, Carb & EFI Runner Up: BD Diesel Performance, Big Daddy Race Turbo/ Diverter Valve Best New Performance-Street Product Winner: McLeod Racing, Mustang Master Cylinder Retro Kit Runner Up: Painless Performance Products, GM Gen IV Tach Driver Runner Up: COMP Performance Group, TCI 6X Six-Speed Transmission for Ford, Chrysler and Pontiac Best New Street Rod/Custom Car Product Runner Up: Billet Specialties Inc., Billet Deck Lid Hinge

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MOTOR STATE PERFORMANCE REPORT

NEW ALLSTAR PERFORMANCE ITEMS Dealer Email Sign-Up Want to know about New Products from Allstar sooner? Send an email to [email protected] to sign up today!

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2-Piece Engine Stand ALL10157 Made of 1” x 2” steel tubing, the stand structure will clear most oversized dry sump oil pans with sumps up to 9” deep. Stand includes six 3/8” x 1” grade 5 bolts and accepts wheel kits with 3/8” studs. Two wheel kits are also available separately: Standard Duty 3” Wheel Kit (ALL10162) and Locking Standard Duty 3” Wheel Kit.

Quick Change Gear Cover ALL72064 Speed up gear changes and never again waste time due to cover nuts! Unique design holds nuts directly on the 6061-T6 billet aluminum cover. Cover with standard bearings fits Frankland and Winters rear ends.

Fuel Pressure Regulator ALL40290 Two piece aluminum regulator body has a single 3/8”NPT inlet port on the bottom and two 3/8”NPT side outlet ports. “Dead Head” style, it does not require a return line to fuel tank or cell. The 1/8”NPT port accepts a fuel pressure gauge or sender line. A steel mounting bracket is included.

ElectricFuel Pumps Street/strip external electric fuel pumps for carbureted applications have a rotor vein lower housing for consistent flow, long term durability, low amperage draw and quiet operation. Pumps have single 3/8”NPT inlet and outlet ports and include an insulated mounting bracket. Compatible with most fuels including gasoline, methanol and E85. Three versions are available: ALL40315 105GPH (250HP), ALL40316 120GPH (400HP) and ALL40317 135GPH (700HP)

ALL40315

High Output Coil For Ready-To-Run Distributor ALL81232 High output coil is specifically designed for use with the high output inductive storage ignition module in ready-to-run distributors. Delivering up to 40,000 volts, the coil has a male secondary tower which offers superior boot and terminal retention and brass primary terminals for maximum conductivity. Coil includes mounting hardware, ring terminals and high temperature silicone boot.

Flush Mount Bolts 1/4”-20 flush mount bolts have a beveled head to provide a smooth finished appearance and are slotted for installation with a standard screwdriver. Excellent choice when securing body panels, roof panels, nose supports, spoiler sides and many other uses. Packages of 10. available in lengthss from 3/4” to 1-1/4” and in steel, aluminum and black anodized aluminum.

Dirt Tire Soap ALL78236 Clean dirt tires like the professionals! Simply mix with water and spray on before washing them and the mud almost falls off. One gallon container.

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NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE GearBox Underseat Storage System The Husky GearBox is perfect for storing loose items, reducing clutter and keeping a vehicle looking clean and organized. This unique custom storage system is engineered to fit under the truck’s back seat. A black textured finish gives the GearBox a factory look. Made in the USA, with a lifetime warranty against cracking or breaking.

NEW! VT Mufflers DynoMax Valve Technology mufflers feature an exclusive precisely calibrated internal valve that redirects exhaust flow, during cruising conditions, to provide Drone-Free Performance. Hammer the gas and the valve automatically adjusts for maximum exhaust flow. VT Mufflers deliver on-demand performance and a deep throaty Drone-Free sound for a wide variety of vehicles. Features an Micro-Finish Stainless Steel construction, straight-through welded design, and a limited lifetime warranty.

Perfect Fit K-Members There are many Mustangs of the ‘79-04 variety out there with nice bodies and clapped out engines. AFCO’s new one-piece tubular K-member (AFC20022) can be an important part of revitalizing one of these ponies and turning it into a veritable street beast. The K-members are a direct bolt-on for 1979-04 Mustangs and maintain the factory suspension geometry. Reduce front end weight, increase chassis strength and improve header and oil pan clearance. Compatible with stock steering and suspension components and aftermarket pieces. DOM (Drawn Over Mandrel) steel K-member has a brilliant powder coat finish for long life protection. Once the Kmember has been installed, motor mounts can be purchased separately to accept 5.0L Windsor V8’s, 4.6L Modular V8’s, 429-460 Big Blocks and even a GM LS V8. Purchase motor mounts separately.

Engine Swap Headers Once a new, more powerful engine has been transplanted in 1979-04 Mustangs, it’s time for some free flowing exhaust headers to really bring the project to full blossom. Designed for use with AFCO Perfect fit K-member system, Dynatech’s Engine Swap Headers can get the job done. Headers are DTH701-23010 available for small block Chevy, GM LS Series, small block Ford 351W, and 429-460 big block Ford powerplants. Use with a wide variety of transmissions. Headers deliver dramatic increases in horsepower and torque using a race-proven, stepped tube design. Headers include gaskets, bolts and have a black, baked-on finish.

Royal Purple in 5-Quart Bottles Oil changes have been simplified thanks to the latest offering from Royal Purple. It’s the 5-Quart Bottle! Save time and money! Instead of juggling five one-quart bottles, just grab the new 5-quart jug, the funnel and have at it! Royal Purple’s Multi-Viscosity, Synthetic Motor Oil provides the highest level of protection against heat, deposits and wear in modern engines. Complete the oil change with a Royal Purple Oil Filter for maximum performance and protection.

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MOTOR STATE PERFORMANCE REPORT

NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE Mopar and GM Competition Series Rear Disc Brake Conversion Kits It’s now possible to bolt an economical disc brake conversion onto GM and Mopar rear ends. Stainless Steel Brake’s Competition Series rear drum to disc brake conversion kits are available to fit GM 10- and 12-Bolt rear ends with staggered shocks and C-Clip axles and 5 x 4.75” bolt patterns; and all Mopar 8-3/4” and Dana 60 rear ends with 5 x 4.5” bolt pattern axles. Ideal for street and strip applications, the kits do not have a parking brake, but include: 4-piston aluminum calipers with 35mm stainless pistons, performance brake pads, mounting brackets, Big Bite Cross-drilled rotors and hardware. GM kits two 10.5 vented rotors, two rear cast iron brake calipers with built-in parking brake, two backing plates, mounting brackets, brake pads, and all the mounting hardware.

Competition Series Mopar Front Disc Brake Conversion Kit Competition Series Mopar front disc brake conversion kit bolts to stock 10” drum brake spindles with 5 x 4.5” bolt pattern. Kit includes; Street 4 piston aluminum calipers w/45mm stainless pistons, performance brake pads, mounting brackets, Big Bite brake cross-drilled brake rotors, and hardware.

CT-1 Calico Coated Rod & Main Bearings Calico Coatings Engine Bearings offer superior protection compared to uncoated bearings. Calico CT-1 can COATINGS withstand the extreme conditions of high performance engines and contains submicron-sized particles of MoS2 (molybdenum disulfide) and solid lubricants disbursed throughout resin blends and solvents. Calico starts with Clevite 77 H-Series engine bearings, narrow design, and applies a dark gray CT-1 dry film lubricating coating, typically between .0002” and .0004”.

“Sportsman Series” SB Chevy Main Bearing Cap Set The New “Sportsman Series” Main Bearing Caps are 100% American made at Pro-Gram Engineering! Built from 60,000 tensile strength nodular iron, the caps are CNC-machined to meet strict tolerance standards an will increase bottom end strength on all factory 4-Bolt main Chevrolet small blocks. This is an OEM replacement nodular iron main cap set designed for street and sportsman series engine builds that require extra bottom-end strength support for reaching higher engine speeds.

SHP Cylinder Heads! Dart’s new SHP SB Chevy street performance head is cast from A356T6 aluminum and designed to work with most off the shelf components. Multi-Angle intake seats and radiused exhaust seats dramatically increase air/fuel flow. Hardened exhaust seats are compatible with unleaded gasoline. Manganese bronze guides extend cylinder head life. Dual exhaust pattern spot is provided for easy header fitment. Available in bare or assembled versions. Assembled versions include stainless steel valves, single or dual valve springs, steel retainers, locks, valve seals, and pushrod guide plates. (Continued on page 6)

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NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE (cont. from page 5) Slayer Series Carburetor The new Slayer Carburetor is all aluminum and designed for cost conscious and performance oriented enthusiasts. The brightly polished carburetor body is nicely accented by silver finished throttle lever and linkage hardware. The vacuum secondaries have a Quickset adjustment and the electric choke, also fully adjustable, is a one-wire hook-up. Other features include changeable idle air and high speed bleeds, 3-stage emulsion circuits in the primary metering block and a notched float in the secondary fuel bowl. Here’s a great deal that you can pass along to your customers! Sell a new MSD Atomic EFI unit to a customer from January 3rd to March 31st, 2012 and they can then get a FREE MSD 6A Ignition Control Part #6201 direct from MSD. The all New Atomic EFI system was designed with two goals; simplicity and performance. Simplicity was achieved with easy installation (like installing a carburetor) and programming (it teaches itself). Performance is served through improved driveability from idle to full throttle blasts. Program without a laptop to select parameters to match the engine, control fuel pump and electric fans and adjust timing.

Atomic EFI Master Kit MSD2900 The MASTER Kit includes every component for an EFI conversion, including; Atomic Throttle Body, Atomic Power Module, Wide Band o2 Sensor, Atomic Handheld Programmer/Monitior, Fuel Pump Kit which includes a 525 hp. max fuel pump, filters, brackets, high pressure hose and installation hardware.

Atomic EFI Basic Kit MSD2910 The BASIC Kit is for vehicles that already uses an electric fuel pump (with return line), provides all the parts to convert to Atomic Power. The BASIC Kit includes: MSD Atomic Throttle Body, Atomic Power Module, Wide Band 02 Sensor, and the Atomic Handheld Programmer/Monitor.

Atomic EFI Basic Wiring Diagram

Ride Height Gauge QRP56-108 Place the Ride Height Gauge under the frame, and press the button. The etched inch measurement stem will pop out giving ride height between the frame and the ground. Measures 3-1/2" to 6" and will fit in a pocket.

“Extreme” Transmission Temperature Gauge QRP611-7012 The “Extreme” 2-5/8" mechanical transmission temperature gauge is for the serious racer. Made in the USA, the unique feature of this gauge is that the bright LED back lighting changes color automatically from white to red when a problem arises. Gauge has an aluminum housing, white face with large black numerals and a fluorescent red pointer. Mounted in a black aluminum panel, gauge includes an 8" capillary tube.

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MOTOR STATE PERFORMANCE REPORT

CHARLIE JOBBER

by John McLellan

Seein Ain't Necessarily Believin' The segment of my little business that deals with the sales of truck accessories has surely seen its ups and downs over the years. I used to sell lift kits as quickly as I could get them in stock. Then the nabobs at the state level instituted height restrictions that pretty much killed that avenue of profit. Then, further restrictions on induction and exhaust modifications effectively stymied those sales opportunities. I really have to hand it to those who still make an attempt to customize the performance and handling of their new pickups. They are a hearty breed. One of this breed, a guy I’ll call Gorski, stopped by the other day to show me his brand new Nippon Ultra fourwheel drive truck. “Why did you choose this truck, Gorski?” “It was them TV commercials that sold me on this rig,” he replied. “What commercials might those have been?” “Why the ones that showed that airliner with the busted front landing gear being helped by the Nippon pickup,” he snapped, looking at me like I was from Neptune or some other television deprived planet. “You don’t seriously think that the Nippon Ultra really pulled that off do you Gorski?” “Sure do! The whole thing was videotaped by someone at the airport.” I dreaded going here, but couldn’t resist. “Gorski, think of this for a minute. Let’s do the math, as they say. The average airliner is going roughly 150-175 miles an hour upon approach. It weighs approximately 164,000 pounds at landing...that’s 84 tons! How fast can your truck go?” “Well, the speedometer says 120,” he answered. “How much weight can it haul?” “Well it’s a half-ton, but the manual says it can safely haul fifteen hundred pounds.” “Okay. Let’s say that the nosewheel on that airliner only supports ten percent of the plane’s weight at landing. That’s still 16,400 pounds...over eight tons for crying out loud.” “What’s your point Charlie?” Gorski asked. “OK. Do you really believe that a pickup, an unauthorized one in highly restricted territory I might add, casually accelerated to 165 miles an hour on the runway, and

then exactly matched speed with the crippled airliner so it could place its 16,400 pound nose weight in the pickup’s box? Geez Gorski! In the real world the freaking airliner should have literally splattered that little truck all over the landing strip!” “Well, it’s got a real nice CD/stereo, and the seats are real comfy, and I got a good deal on it anyway.” ‘Sure, it’s a great little truck, Gorski. I’m sure it will last you a long time. Just don’t go getting any ideas about helping crippled airliners for Pete’s sake.” The extremes to which manufacturers of pickup trucks will go to prove the mettle of their pet vehicles never cease to amaze me. Years ago, a pickup truck was chained to a fully grown elephant in order to stage a pulling contest of sorts. I can’t remember whether the truck or the elephant won, and it doesn’t really matter. Forty years later, the ad agencies saddled with the responsibility of proving this or that point about their clients’ trucks are still stretching credibility -did I just say stretching - cripes, they are blowing credibility clean out of the water. Remember the demonstration involving a truck pulling a loaded trailer up a man-made steel tower, while real flames lick at the exterior, and raise external temperatures beyond boiling,? It was impressive, but failed to really tell me anything about the truck’s long term capabilities. A dually pulling a trailer and accelerating past a 100,000 pound semi-truck on a steep grade proves little or nothing either. Now, thanks to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), some degree of credibility may be instilled in the advertising methods used to sell new trucks. At least the ad agencies will have something to guide them with regard to trucks pulling trailers. It may be hard to believe, but until around 2007, there were no set standards for measuring the towing capacity of pickup trucks. If Toyota, for example, introduced a new, full-sized V8 model and stated in their ads that the truck could pull 12 gazillion pounds, Ford, Dodge and GM soon upped their capacities to match, or beat those of the Toyota. Toyota could then “pad” the numbers a bit more and pretty soon the whole process would begin again. All the while this was going on, customers were buying trucks at record rates and becoming disillusioned at the real towing performance of their trucks versus those on the tube. The standard the SAE, working with domestic and Japanese truck manufacturers, has approved concerning

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CHARLIE JOBBER Seein Ain't Necessarily Believin'

(cont. from page 7)

towing capacities and expectations is called the Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice J2807. The standard precisely outlines a procedure for determining maximum permissible gross combination vehicle weight (GCWR) and maximum permissible trailer weight rating (TWR). Some companies have already begun factoring these more realistic ratings into their new press copy. Acccording to the SAE, there are five distinct characteristics that have a strong effect upon any tow vehicle’s performance: 1. Engine power and torque characteristics. 2. Power train cooling capacity. 3. Durability of the powertrain and chassis 4. Handling characteristics during cornering and braking. 5. Structural characteristics of a vehicle’s hitch attachment area. Standard J2807 also spells out, in no uncertain terms, just what minimum acceleration and trailer towing expectations are for all sizes and configurations of pickup trucks, including those with dual rear wheels. Nowhere in these specifications are there any references to how many elephants a truck must pull, how steep a flaming tower it must climb or how large an airliner it can safely carry in its bed. It must, for example, be capable of moving from rest, under maximum load, for a total of 16 feet on a 12-percent grade in both forward and reverse, and it must repeat both launches a minimum of five times within five minutes. If all requirements specified in J2807 are met, the tow vehicle manufacturer may state the following: “This model meets or exceeds the tow-vehicle trailering requirements of SAE International per SAE J2807.” For the whole story on SAE J2807, visit www.pickuptruck.com. Hopefully, we can soon count upon seeing, and actually believing, the stunts performed by new pickup trucks in TV ads. Fortunately, for most of us, other factors weigh in when it’s time to buy a new truck anyway. Looks, options and, of course, price often carry more sway than whether or not the rig can climb a fiery tower or rescue an ailing airplane. Now, future television ads can tell us the truth about new trucks and we can make buying decisions based upon facts.

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8300 Lane Drive • Watervliet, Michigan 49098 • www.motorstate.com Toll Free 800.772.2678 • Phone 269.463.4113 • Fax 800.772.2618